LUTON History and Nostalgia

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack

Was the Condor 727 a regular visitor back then ? I don't know if it's just 'rose tinted glasses syndrome' or not, but those old colour schemes were marvellous.

Condor operated a couple of short series 1975 and 1976 then were regular throughout summer 1977 Monday and Friday evenings. They returned spring 1978 and operated Monday and Friday evenings again, from and to Stuttgart, until October 1979. They disappeared the same time as Hapag-Lloyd who, in their previous guises of Bavaria and Germanair had been regular since late 1975 and late 1973 respectively.
Pictures from scanned negatives so quality not great.


D-ABIR 25/5/79



D-ABIN 25/6/79

[cj241101]

Talking of Germanair:-


D-AMIE 18/8/70
operated twice on Tuesday for about a month Aug-Sep 1970


D-AMOR 27/7/78

[lotus1]

I remember a friend always booked with tjaereborg always had a great time if I am right the brochere was a green and gold colour also did a number of adverts on television operated a number of flights from stanstead beleive scan air Dc8 .

[boeing_eng]

I recall in the late 70's the Condor's using the reg on the R/T instead of a flight number.....

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by boeing_eng

I recall in the late 70's the Condor's using the reg on the R/T instead of a flight number.....

Surprising - but true! So did Bavaria and I suspect Germanair as well, although I'm sure Germanair used flight numbers for their first series in 1970 (Germanair 648/654 Tue a.m. and Germanair 655/649 Tue evening, Dusseldorf-Luton-Munich-Athens and back). Going back further, B.E.A. used registrations preceded by "Bealine" until around April 1969. Court Line/Britannia/Midland also used registrations, at least until the early 70's, but Monarch used flight numbers from their start up in April 1968. I also remember the Tarom Ilyushin 18's in 1971/72 calling registrations. Luton-wise I think most other operators were using flight numbers. Invicta used the callsign "India Mike" which was their flight number prefix IM.

Any further info on the subject very welcome!

[vintage ATCO]

When I started in 1967 it was quite common for all to use registrations but it slowly became the norm to use flight numbers by 1969/70ish with perhaps the odd exception.

One day, doing Ground, a BYxxx callsign called for the airfield details, followed a while later by GAxxx calling for the same. A short while later BYxxx called for start, followed by GAxxx asking if they were clear to start. I then twigged and said 'Both the Captain and First Officer were cleared to start'. Much mirth all round.

[kcockayne]

Just to elucidate, if it is needed, the change to flight numbers for the a/c call sign was required in order to use the stored flight plan system (you could use a flight number on repetitive flight plans, but using registrations was much more problematic).

[treadigraph]

Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack

Was the Condor 727 a regular visitor back then ? I don't know if it's just 'rose tinted glasses syndrome' or not, but those old colour schemes were marvellous.

Quite agree, there was something about the airline schemes of yore that appealed hugely to me. Perhaps I'm simply a jaded old git but modern schemes just don't make it.

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by vintage ATCO

When I started in 1967 it was quite common for all to use registrations but it slowly became the norm to use flight numbers by 1969/70ish with perhaps the odd exception.

Autair always used their registrations for ATC at Luton. However, correct me if I am wrong, but when they switched their scheduled services from Luton to Heathrow in April 1969, I'm pretty sure they used the flight number including their 2-letter prefix e.g. the OU048 Tees-side - Heathrow was Oscar Uniform zero four eight. Used to hear them calling London on 124.6 routing Amber One Lichfield - Daventry - Garston (might have been Bovingdon by 1969) for Heathrow.

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by kcockayne

(you could use a flight number on repetitive flight plans, but using registrations was much more problematic).

Yes, RPL's as the stored flight plans were commonly known. I'm trying to picture the frantic activity that B.E.A. flight ops must have been every night shift pre-computerisation, with 200+ flight plans (including return sectors) to file manually just for their 1st wave flights. Then resubmitting them every time there was an aircraft change. Maybe they used a standardised flight plan form for each destination which just needed the registration box completing. If anyone can shed any light on how they managed please do.

[dc9-32]

but modern schemes just don't make it.

You mean white then

[22/04]

Did Condor use727-200s on some occasions? I seem to remember them on Sunday evenings

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by 22/04

Did Condor use727-200s on some occasions? I seem to remember them on Sunday evenings

Condor's series in 1977 ran on Mon and Fri evenings from April to early Sept which were all 727-200's. Most flights 1978/79 were also -200's, with -100's on some of the early and late season flights.

Rubbish photos again with a Kodak Instamatic but here they are:-


D-ABMI 29/7/77


D-ABVI 6/6/75. The DC-4 is Aer Turas EI-ARS;, the G2 N677S of Sentry Insurance.

[lotus1]

With regards to the condor 727s where they used on the trooping flights to Germany I remember invicta international had these but there was so much issues with the vanguards they lost the contract and Britannia took over these with again regards to condor I use to spend quite a lot of time in Ibiza in the summers 74/75 it was amazing to see there 747s land the names max and fritz adored on them also seeing Klm 747 land they where the days

[rog747]

Originally Posted by lotus1

With regards to the condor 727s where they used on the trooping flights to Germany I remember invicta international had these but there was so much issues with the vanguards they lost the contract and Britannia took over these with again regards to condor I use to spend quite a lot of time in Ibiza in the summers 74/75 it was amazing to see there 747s land the names max and fritz adored on them also seeing Klm 747 land they where the days

same here summer 75 in IBZ saw Condor KLM Sabena and Aer Lingus 747's landing there - BOAC went to Palma with theirs for a couple of summers from LHR early 70's

[YVRLTN]

How many 747's have visited LTN? The only one I remember was a rather tatty 100 with a Barbados flag, Air Caribbean or Caribbean something anyway, think it had an N reg

[oldandbald]

First 747 at Luton was LX-KCV 10th July 1987 sub for Britannia Faro and back

[jensdad]

Was that one of Cargolux's 747s? Not doubting you, just surprised that Cargolux were doing passenger flights.
Seeing that taxying past the old viewing area must have been quite a sight!

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by jensdad

Seeing that taxying past the old viewing area must have been quite a sight!

Try this thread pages 32-34
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...talgia-32.html

[LTNman]

Originally Posted by cj241101

Try this thread pages 32-34
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...talgia-32.html

Well that was an interesting read again. Shame a small number of photos were missing due to being hosted by photobucket.